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£159.20Chasing the Mystery - Kevin Houben
Commissioned by KU Leuven on the occasion of the 600th anniversary of KU Leuven.Chasing the MysteryKevin HoubenDedicated to the Wind Orchestra Universitair Harmonieorkest (UHO) of KU Leuven.Chasing the Mystery is the final movement of the triptych Beyond the Horizon of Thought.On the occasion of KU Leuven's 600th anniversary in 2025, the university commissioned Kevin Houben to compose a new work tailored to the Universitair Symfonisch Orkest, the Universitair Harmonieorkest and the Leuvens Universitair Koor. Maud Vanhauwaert, writer-in-residence during the 2023-2024 academic year, provided a poetic libretto.With Beyond the Horizon of Thought, Kevin Houben created not only a unique anniversary composition for more than 250 student musicians. The composition also conveys a universal message that perfectly reflects the spirit of the celebrating university: keep searching, keep developing yourself and keep hoping - even in turbulent times.From a compositional perspective, the work is built around themes and motifs with a clear symbolism. Kevin Houben explains: "I use a technique in which letters are converted into musical notes - a method also used by great masters such as Bach, Bartk and Shostakovich. This musical signature forms the basis of the melodic structure. In this way, 'KUL600' is represented by the notes D - G - E - F (re - sol - mi - fa)."The composition is conceived as a triptych: three movements that flow seamlessly into one another and are performed by different orchestral formations, yet together form a single whole. The work opens with the symphony orchestra, where the thematic 'KUL600' cells are introduced and explored. In this movement, Awakening the Wonder, several highlights establish a musical connection with the following movements.In the second movement, The Urge of Search, the choir sings a cappella to the poem Het is het by Maud Vanhauwaert, in which she reflects on the tireless quest for knowledge that has characterized the university for 600 years. Classical Gregorian techniques and traditional voice leading enter into dialogue with contemporary techniques, as the singers alternately whisper, call out and proclaim.Finally, the wind orchestra introduces the third movement, Chasing the Mystery. With a searching and anticipatory character, the orchestra presents the thematic cells in soloistic fashion, based on the main melody of the choral movement. References once again appear to the rhythmic 'KUL600' cells, which ultimately culminate in a grand apotheosis. A solitary soprano saxophone opens the finale with the 'KUL600' theme in its most intimate and meditative form. The expanded choir then joins the orchestra for an impressive final chord, musically preparing KU Leuven for the next 600 years.Beyond the Horizon of Thought premiered on Wednesday 23 and Thursday 24 April 2025 at LUCA Campus Lemmens, and was also performed on 9 May 2025 at Concertgebouw Brugge on the occasion of the 600th anniversary of KU Leuven. More than 250 musicians from the Universitair Symfonisch Orkest (USO) conducted by Edmond Saveniers, the Leuvens Universitair Koor (LUK) conducted by Kevin Hendrickx, and the Universitair Harmonieorkest (UHO) conducted by Erwin Scheltjens shared the stage.Cover illustration design: Grotezk Studio.
Estimated dispatch 7-14 working days
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£435.40Goldberg 2012 - Svein H. Giske
The first time I heard Bach's Goldberg Variations was in the movie Silence of the lambs, in the early 1990s. I noticed the beautiful background music in one of the scenes, but at that time I didn't know what it was. A few years later, when I was studiying at the Grieg Academy, I got to know the entire piece. For me, this is a piece of music which I can listen to countless times. I think it sounds as fresh today as it did more than 15 years ago and it never ceases to inspire me. Both Bach's composition and Glenn Gould's famous 1955 recording (which was the first one I heard) still makes a great impression on me. Before Gould recorded it at age 22, it wasn't a highly ranked piece amongst pianists and Bach was by many viewed as a bit old-fashioned. The young Canadian turned all this around. He managed to portray Bach in a reformed way, producing fine nuances in phrasing and making the many layers in Bach's music more transparent than anyone before him. Thus he plunged both himself and Bach (back) onto the international music scene. When The Norwegian Band Federation (NMF) asked me to write the test piece for NM in 2012, it was only natural for me to use the Goldberg Variations as a starting point and inspiration for my work. Since I was a teenager at NMF's summer courses in the mid eighties I've always listened to many different styles of music. Growing up in Sunnmre with the Brazz Brothers as teachers and mentors, jazz-, pop/rock- and folk music were early on a natural part of my musical background. I also have my classical education from the Grieg Academy on trumpet. As the title of my piece implies, I've wanted to bring Bach to the present and put his music into various modern musical landscapes. I think you can bring about a special kind of energy when music from different genres are mixed and I've tried to do this by mixing Bach with artists and musical styles from the present. In Goldberg 2012, the music is often constructed by several layers, which in a way are living parallel musical lives. They are seemingly moving or floating freely, almost unaware of each other, but bound together by the same basic pulse. The rythms, however, are often notated on a different rythmic subdivision level than the usual 8th- or 16th note levels. By doing this, I hope to achieve transparent sounds that rythmically are perceived as more free and detached from each other. In large sections of the piece, pop/jazz is fusioned with elements from Bach. I guess you could have this little scene as a synopsis for the piece: picture a group of musicians meeting: some are classical performers, some are jazz. They start to improvise together, each in their own voice or musical dialect and I'm sort of in the middle, trying to write down what they are playing. This is what I feel much of Goldberg 2012 is about. The foundation of the piece, in addition to Bach and references from pop/jazz music, lies also in my own material. This material, basically two chords, is heard in it's purest form in the 1st movement. I use these chords to create scales, new chords and different motifs which contribute to blend together the different moods of the piece. It has not been my intention to copy Bach's form (theme and 30 variations), but rather to use the bits and pieces that I like the most as an inspiration for my own variations. The 1st movement, Aria 2, is for my 3rd son, Olav, who was born on the 21st of April 2011, and the 5th movement, From long ago, is dedicated to the memory of my father, Svein J. Giske, who passed away on the 6th of June 2011. -Svein H. Giske, January 2012-
Estimated dispatch 7-14 working days
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£75.00Sonata - Derek Bourgeois
This work, composed in 1998, was commissioned by the American trombonist Don Lucas as a work for trombone and piano and first performed by him in Birmingham on 19th May 2000. Subsequently, I arranged the music for both solo trombone and brass band and solo trombone and wind band so that it now exists in three formats. The first movement, in B flat major, is brisk and energetic, and is cast in sonata form. The second subject is gentler and more lyrical. The second movement, a scherzo in C major, is the most complex of the four. Basically the structure is a rond. For a long time the music remains in the opening 5/8 time until a new theme introduces more broken rhythms in a more jazzy idiom. After a return of the opening theme the following episode is more tonally ambiguous. Finally, the main theme returns to round off the movement. The third movement, a lyrical adagio, is really one long extended melodic flow. The harmonies are lush and the textures simple and direct. The tonal center is A minor, but the music meanders through so many keys, that this key centre is heavily disguised. The finale is a fiery affair. G minor is really its home key, but throughout the movement the music moves about a lot and the second subject is first heard in A flat minor. The movement's underlying sonata structure is masked not only by its loose tonality but also by its frequently changing time signatures. Like the first movement the second subject is more lyrical in nature and for a while it seems that the music will end peacefully, but a final flurry heralds a triple forte unison on the home note of the first movement - B flat. Derek Bourgeois
Estimated dispatch 7-14 working days
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£248.99Missa Brevis - Jacob de Haan
Missa Brevis, written for choir and wind band, was commissioned by the Conseil Dpartemental pour la Musique et la Culture de Haute-Alsace (Dir.: Philippe Pfisterer) in Guebwiller (France), in celebration of the millennium of Pope Leon IX'sbirth in guisheim (France). The composer conducted the first performance on June 23, 2002. It was performed live for the French television channel France 2. The mass movements Kyrie, Gloria, Credo, Sanctus, Benedictus, and Agnus Deiare very suitable for the Catholic as well as the Protestant liturgy. For this mass, various ways for performing in diverse variable strengths are possible. An instrumental performance is possible if the brass represents the choir parts. In thisoption, it is desirable for the brass to be positioned separately from the rest of the band (on a gallery, for example), so that the idea of two choirs is approached. In a performance with a large choir, the brass can work very well as a support. Inthat case, the dynamics of the brass should be adapted somewhat, since these are actually intended for an instrumental performance. You can also leave out the brass entirely for the benefit of the choir. For the accompaniment of smaller choirs, youcan opt for a small ensemble from the band. This can also be a quartet, put together as desired. For the performance of this mass, the obvious choice is one of the above options. However, as an alternative, a performance with a combination of theseoptions (vocally/instrumentally) is also possible not just from an artistic point of view (variation), but also from a practical starting point for example in the case that the choir has rehearsed only two movements. With a full strength, theconductor can vary the instrumentation to his or her liking. Then the brass can also play a role in the accompaniment (instead of supporting the choir). The following combinations are possible:1. clarinet choir (from Eb Clarinet to BassClarinet)2. clarinet choir + saxophones3. brass (flugelhorns, horns, euphoniums, bass section)4. brass (2 trumpets / 2 trombones)5. double reeds (optional + flute, optional + string bass)6. tutti7. all winds8. allbrassIn a performance by brass band and choir, it is usually advisable to leave out option 1 (choir + brass + band). The choir sings self-reliantly, accompanied by a full brass band. In an instrumental performance, you can consider a combinedquartet (two cornets and two trombones) + brass band.Choral parts available separately.
Estimated dispatch 7-14 working days
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£106.99Lady Claus - Thierry Deleruyelle
The Christmas festive season is a time for sharing the most wonderful stories. There are few female characters in these tales. And yet, they do exist in many countries. In Italy, Mother Christmas is associated with the Befana; in Russia with Babushka; and with Lucia in Scandinavia, Frau Holle in Germany, Mari Lwyd in Wales, and Tante Arie in France. What these women have in common is that they too hand out presents to children.The music begins with a majestic introduction that draws us into the heart of the Christmas legends. The timpani and sleigh bells then launch into a fast, joyful, and dynamic section. Finally, the music softens. A Christmas chorale is first played by the brass section, then taken up by the woodwinds. The piece ends in a hushed atmosphere, as if all that remained was a Christmas tree twinkling in the darkness.Lady Claus was commissioned by the Montbliard Municipal Wind Band, conducted by Laurent Zemp, to mark its 150th anniversary. This work pays tribute to those legendary women who contribute to the beauty and magic of Christmas, not only by delivering presents but also by passing on the human values they embody.[
Estimated dispatch 7-14 working days
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£72.99
Valse Caprice - Herbert L. Clarke
Herbert L. Clarke was a legendary composer and musician active in the early part of the 20th century, well-known for his solos for cornet, trombone, euphonium and combinations of brass instruments with band accompaniment. What is not as well-known is that Clarke also wrote three works for alto saxophone and band! Helen, Valse Caprice and Lavinia were written between 1918-1922 in Canada for Charles Shaw, saxophonist for the Anglo-Canadian Leather Company Band which Clarke directed at the time. Valse Caprice is a fine example of pure lyric elegance. Written in modified ABA form, the principal theme is followed by a more embellished variation in eighth notes. The contrasting middle section is a pensive meno mosso, which leads into a reprise with cadenza-like figures, building to a rousing conclusion. The historic publication of these three works by Southern Music represents a significant contribution to saxophone solo and band literature that will introduce generations of musicians to some of Herbert Clarke_x001A_s finest hidden gems.
Estimated dispatch 7-14 working days
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£102.99Predator - Thierry Deleruyelle
The peace of a mountain village is shattered by a dreadful rumour: whether animal or something more disturbing, a creature is said to be prowling the area. After a quiet beginning, the music builds up with tense, nervous lines: fear sets in. The soundscape becomes fantastical, almost like a Halloween night.The villagers gather to hunt down the beast, with the orchestra conveying their determination through clear and energetic writing. The chase accelerates, breathless and spectacular, up to an uncertain outcome: the creature vanishes, without anyone having seen it. The initial chorale returns, calmer but not reassuring. The village regains its tranquillity, while retaining the memory of a mystery that has never been solved.
Estimated dispatch 7-14 working days
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£89.99Bolero For Band - Maurice Ravel
Initially commissioned by Ida Rubenstein as a ballet work initially, Maurice Ravel's BOLERO has become his most popular and often-performed orchestra composition, which was a surprise to the composer who described it as seventeen minutes of orchestra without any music. With a structure that is simplicity itself, BOLERO uses two alternating melodies in what Ravel described as a crescendo on commonplace melod[ies]. Mark Rogers' transcription of BOLERO is an entirely complete wind band version of the piece; omitting not a single note or exotic instrument, thereby transferring the brilliance of Ravel_x001A_s orchestral score to the symphonic wind band with as much fidelity to the original as possible. Ravel calls for a very large orchestra (triple woodwinds, saxophones, large brass section, harp, celesta and percussion). Consequently, this transcription of BOLERO contains a large amount of divisi writing. It goes without saying that this transcription will be most successfully performed by large symphonic wind band.
Estimated dispatch 7-14 working days
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£73.50Soothsayer - Eric Rath
Soothsayer, by Eric Rath, is a study in contrast and mood. Music with a mystical and otherworldly tone portrays a soothsayer--an oracle, fortune teller, or diviner. Mostly in 3/4 time and primarily built on the octatonic scale (half and whole steps alternating), the percussionists also get to have a heyday with this one. Students not only get to show off their technical side but work to develop smooth, flowing lines and a maturity to balance the most important part at any given moment. Enjoy the ride! (2:55)
Estimated dispatch 7-14 working days
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£115.60Our Last Summer - Benny Andersson
An exciting arrangement where almost all players have a bit of the melody line. There are many opportunities to give individual musicians soloistic challenges. Any bandmember should find something interesting in this piece. It will be possible to add vocals to the arrangement. A lovely melody with great expressions.Our Last Summer" is a song by the Swedish pop group ABBA from their seventh studio album, "Super Trouper," released in 1980. The song is indeed featured in the musical "Mamma Mia!", a little bit shortened and with small changes in the lyrics. The musical premiered in London's West End in 1999 and is a duet performed by the characters Harry Bright and Donna Sheridan, reflecting on their past romance during a summer spent in Paris.The song is primarily sung by Bjrn Ulvaeus, with backing vocals provided by Agnetha Fltskog and Anni-Frid Lyngstad, the female members of ABBA. Their harmonies contribute to the song's nostalgic and wistful atmosphere. The lyrics vividly describe the memories of the summer spent together, including scenes of walking along the Seine River in Paris and listening to French songs. The song also touches on the passage of time and the realization that the summer romance has ended.While not released as an official single in most countries, "Our Last Summer" still received considerable airplay and became a fan favorite. It charted in some European countries and has remained popular among ABBA fans over the years.
Estimated dispatch 7-14 working days
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